New Orthodox Cathedral Based on Byzantine Architecture Opens in Warsaw

Warsaw's Orthodox Christians,as well as pilgrims from many other lands,gathered for the first Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Church of Poland's new Agia Sophia Cathedral on 19 May 2018.The cornerstone of the sacred edifice had been laid and blessed by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and His Beatitude Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw and All Poland on 5 December 2015.*
Concelebrating the service on Saturday,in addition to Metropolitan Sava,were His Eminence Archbishop Job of Telmessos (Ecumenical Patriarchate);His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk (Moscow Patriarchate);His Grace Bishop Diodor of Yuzhnoe (Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate);bishops of the Orthodox Church of Poland's Holy Synod;and numerous other clergy.Four Polish choirs chanted the Liturgy in the Cathedral modeled after its namesake,Agia Sophia in Constantinople.
Addresses marking the majestic event from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia were read to the faithful,many of whom donated commemorative blocks placed in the Cathedral walls to affirm their faith and love for their forbearers.The Cathedral is dedicated to the memory of all those who suffered and died for the Orthodox faith,especially the neomartyrs of Poland.*
Besides the first Liturgy,the event marked the occasions of Metropolitan Sava's 80th birthday and 20th anniversary as Primate of Poland;and indeed,the 100th anniversary of Polish independence.A golden cross for the Cathedral's central dome was blessed,elevated and installed at the conclusion of the service.*
The Cathedral's iconography has not yet been written.